Woven and knitted bi-elastic textiles are known, such as are used in the garment industry, for instance, for the manufacturing of corset ware and similar textiles. The known woven and knitted bi-elastic textiles are generally not suited for use as upholstering fabrics for chairs, sofas, and similar sitting or reclining furniture since they poorly comply with the general requirements for such cover fabrics. The known bi-elastic woven textiles have, for instance, a characteristic plain, smooth surface which is disadvantageous for esthetic reasons. Thus, known bi-elastic textiles have generally been heavily printed when intended for upholstering usage in order to try to hide the unsuitable surface characteristics of these textiles as cover fabrics for furniture.
However, because of new shapes for upholstered furniture, the demand for bi-elastic cover fabrics is steadily increasing. The growing use of load carrying furniture parts formed of plastic contributes considerably to the advancement of this development. Oftentimes it is desirable to use textiles which are foam fillable. Such foam-fillable textiles have to expand evenly in two dimensions and at the same time maintain their elasticity even when such a fabric is oppositely stressed, as when a person sits on such foam-filled upholstered and fabric covered chair. Corresponding facts, for instance, apply to the vacuum-deep-drawing.
Aside from the two requirements to possess as even a bi-directional expansive elasticity capacity as possible in warp and weft directions, as well as to retain a capacity to return, or contract, evenly, it is a further requirement for such a bi-elastic fabric that it have a suitable surface texture which, in respect to such qualities as wear and tear, associated coarseness, esthetic appearance and hand, and the like, makes it especially favorable from a commercial view. For this purpose, generally coarsely structured textile fabrics are especially advisable; however, known bi-elastic fabrics do not show the necessary expansion behaviour and sufficiently high elasticity, together with suitable coarse texture.
A still further requirement exists for such a bi-elastic fabric when such is to be used for filling with foam, or for vacuum deep drawing, and this is the requirement of being gas tight.